The Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers were expected to play one of the more interesting playoff series of the season. However, the start of their playoff series hasn't necessarily gone the way that Memphis was looking for.
They were expected to play much better than they currently have and while they've been dealing with injuries, they still haven't done what many were expecting them to do.
They're currently down 2-1 in this series against Los Angeles and if things don't change quickly, they're not going to have the end of the season that they were looking for.
A large part is due to Ja Morant being injured, but at the end of the day, the other players in Memphis haven't stepped up. Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Dillon Brooks don't look like they belong on the same court as some of the guys on the Lakers roster at the moment.
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Los Angeles is also getting major contributions outside of guys not named LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Rui Hachimura and others have truly stepped up for the Lakers and that's why they're currently in the position that they're in.
Colin Cowherd had the following to say about the Grizzlies and it's an interesting thing to think about:
"Memphis is the loudest guy in the bar. Never the smartest or the toughest... This team doesn't have any fight."
Colin Cowherd then went on to explain how the Grizzlies don't have the same type of veteran leadership and older players that the Lakers do. That's certainly a huge thing to have in the playoffs.
While the young players for Memphis could possibly get the job done, they don't have the same playoff experience as guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis do.
It's going to be interesting to see how Memphis responds. The team might still be a few veterans away from doing what they are looking to accomplish, but they still could have enough to get the job done and win this series against a tough Los Angeles team.
Grizzlies Nation! You can check out the latest Memphis Grizzlies Schedule and dive into the Grizzlies Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.